System and Method for Adjusting Monitoring of Timeslots During Data Transmission

1. A method for communications between a user equipment and a base station, comprising: receiving an assignment assigning timeslots within each of a plurality of contiguous radio block periods, each radio block period including a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and each TDMA frame including a plurality of timeslots, for at least one of uplink or downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station; and after receiving the assignment of timeslots within each of a plurality of contiguous radio block periods, reducing a number of radio block periods and associated timeslots monitored by the user equipment to monitor only non-contiguous radio block periods and identify a timeslot that is dynamically allocated for at least one of uplink and downlink communications.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a reduced transmission time interval protocol is utilized by at least one of the user equipment and the base station.

3. The method of claim 1 , including, after receiving an assignment of timeslots within each of a plurality of contiguous radio block periods, transmitting a control block to the base station, the control block identifying one or more timeslots being monitored by the user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 , including reducing the number of radio block periods and associated timeslots monitored by the user equipment only when the at least one of uplink communications and downlink communications matches a usage metric.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the usage metric is received at least one of in an assignment message and via packet data protocol (PDP) context establishment procedures.

6. A method for coordinating communications between a user equipment and a base station, comprising: receiving an assignment of timeslots for at least one of uplink or downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station; and after receiving the assignment of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications, monitoring a reduced number of radio block periods and associated timeslots to identify a timeslot that is dynamically allocated for at least one of uplink and downlink communications, the reduced number of radio block periods and associated timeslots including only non-contiguous radio block periods, each of the non-contiguous radio block periods including a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and each of the plurality of TDMA frames including a plurality of timeslots.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a reduced transmission time interval protocol is utilized by at least one of the user equipment and the base station.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising after receiving the assignment of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications, transmitting a control block to the base station, the control block identifying one or more timeslots being monitored by the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising monitoring a reduced number of radio block periods and associated timeslots only when at least one of uplink communications and downlink communications reaches a usage metric.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the usage metric is received at least one of in an assignment message and via packet data protocol (PDP) context establishment procedures.

11. A user equipment for use with a communications network including a base station, comprising: a processor configured to: receive an assignment of timeslots within each of a plurality of contiguous radio block periods, each radio block period including a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and each TDMA frame including a plurality of timeslots, for at least one of uplink and downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station; and after receiving the assignment of timeslots within each of a plurality of contiguous radio block periods, reducing a number of radio block periods and associated timeslots monitored by the user equipment to monitor only non-contiguous radio block periods and identify a timeslot that is dynamically allocated for at least one of uplink and downlink communications.

12. A user equipment for use with a communications network including a base station comprising: a processor configured to: receive an assignment of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station; and after receiving the assignment of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications, monitor a reduced number of radio block periods and associated timeslots to identify a timeslot that is dynamically allocated for at least one of uplink and downlink communications, the reduced number of radio block periods and associated timeslots including only non-contiguous radio block periods, each of the non-contiguous radio block periods including a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and each of the plurality of TDMA frames including a plurality of timeslots.